Ok, so every so often Suzie's been choking on her food. The past two days she's choked while eating three times. She is always trying to eat and play at the same time, she tries to bark with food in her mouth and doesn't usually JUST EAT.

She's due for her booster shots in the next couple of weeks, so I'm going to make that appointment early to have her throat checked out to make sure it's not somethng worse.

But now i am scared to give her food to eat while i am not home incase she chokes again.

How do i make her JUST EAT when it's eating time?

mummummum

April 1st, 2006, 10:06 AM

Ceili is six and since I've switched her to kibble I find she coughs and chokes as well. She's not barking, I think it's a matter of inhaling her food - she gets too much in her mouth at one time too fast. When I feed her by the handful she's fine. Personally, I don't think it is EVER safe - especially with a puppy - to feed them - or give them bones etc. - unsupervised.Your puppy will settle down in time of course (give it five, ten years ;) ) but have looked at your pre-breakfast/lunch/dinner routine? If you aren't already - having "quiet time" before and after food - is best and safest. Another thought - is the size of the kibble suitable to Suzie's size?

.unknown.

April 1st, 2006, 11:09 AM

She's 1yr old now and i think she has had bigger kibble than the ones in the Wellness food we're feeding right now, so i don't think it's that. My BF (he's been working out of town for a while) suggested i put some water in it because his mom's boxer has the same issue.

Maybe i will try that =)

The problem i have is that the two dogs take FOREVER to eat, hehe. If i seperate them, whoever doesn't have myself in the room won't eat. So we have bring their bowls into the living room and let them eat it there, one bowl on one side of the TV stand, the other bowl on the other side.

We always try to keep the dogs less active for about 30 mins-to and hour before and after eating, depending on their level of exercise at the time, but while they eat sometimes they get excited at something or other.... sometimes each other!

mummummum

April 1st, 2006, 12:12 PM

Yup - making a "gravy" by putting hot water on the kibble will dampen down the powdery stuff and lessen the possible throat irritants. Interestingly, in my search for a kibble all three of them can/will eat I found Wellness caused the most choking and sputtering - it was TOO SMALL. I'm still trying to find "The Perfect" kibble.

I chuckled upon reading about your bowls to either side of the TV - I have two dogs who won't eat unless I'm there with them and one dog who muscles her way into everyone else's bowl. So I have three feedings to attend to in separate rooms - talk about "shuttle diplomacy" !